Title IX FAQs

Click on the following questions to get more information. If you have a question not listed here, please contact Wellness Services at (850) 473-7112.

What is Title IX?

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was the first comprehensive federal law to prohibit sex discrimination against students and employees of educational institutions. It is one of several federal and state antidiscrimination laws that define and ensure equality in education. The regulations implementing Title IX, published in 1975, prohibit discrimination, exclusion, denial, limitation, or separation based on gender. Title IX states: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Who is protected under Title IX?

All UWF students are protected under Title IX.

Does Title IX apply mostly to athletics?

Although it is the application of Title IX to athletics that has gained the greatest public visibility, the law applies to every single aspect of education, including admissions and recruitment, comparable facilities, access to course offerings, access to schools of vocational education, counseling and counseling materials, financial assistance, student health and insurance benefits and/or services, housing, marital and parental status of students, physical education and athletics, education programs and activities, and employment. Before Title IX was enacted, colleges and universities commonly emphasized sports only for male students. The educational opportunities of athletic programs were generally limited for women. Title IX has helped focus attention on the legal requirements of federally funded institutions to provide equal athletic opportunities for women. The result has been increased involvement of girls and women in sports at all levels.

Does Title IX require quotas?

"Title IX is an antidiscrimination statute that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. . . . Both in academics and athletics, Title IX guarantees that all students, regardless of gender, have equitable opportunities to participate in the education program. This guarantee does not impose quotas based on gender, either in classrooms or in athletic programs. Indeed, the imposition of any such strict numerical requirement concerning students would be inconsistent with Title IX itself, which is designed to protect the rights of all students and to provide equitable opportunities for all students." Adapted from: Rose, Kolb, Barra-Zumman, The Equitable School Continuum, Vol. 3.2 (Andover, MA: The NETWORK, Inc., 1991).

Who is responsible for Title IX issues at the University of West Florida?

The Title IX coordinator is Karen Rentz. She can be reached at (850) 474-2175, or via email at krentz@uwf.edu.